Removable insulator for a fluid container
A removably attachable insulator having a jacket adapted to slide over a container for keeping the contents of the container at or near a predetermined temperature is provided. The jacket may include heating elements attached thereto for heating the container. A control circuitry is also integrated with the jacket, the control circuitry providing a thermostat adapted to set and control the temperature through operatively associating with the heating elements. The jacket and container may become removably attached through the use of detachable fasteners integrated with the container and or the jacket.
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The present invention relates to container insulators and, more particularly, to a removable insulator for a water bucket.
Horses tend to play with their water buckets. They will chew at the handle/cord, pull the bucket from the wall or rub on it, breaking or cracking the bucket.
Solutions to keep horses' water buckets water from freezing by employing a specially-designed bucket. These specialized buckets can break due to the abovementioned horseplay, requiring the horse owner to repeatedly invest in a relatively expensive product. Moreover, such specialized water buckets have a tendency to shock the horse as they utilize power cords. Also, the current solutions tend to over-heat the water.
As can be seen, there is a need for a removable insulator for a water bucket so that the insulator of the present invention can be attached to an existing, inexpensive water bucket to prevent the water from freezing in the cold. Furthermore, the removable insulator could be adjustable to any container, such as pipes, troughs, and the like, for controlling the temperature of its contents. Because of its flexible nature, the insulator of the present invention can withstand more abuse by the horse than the above-mentioned specialized products. Moreover, the insulator of the present invention has no cord for the horse to chew on since it is DC powered, meaning that it can run on a battery without a cord as it does not require an AC power/outlet connection. Furthermore, the present invention can be run from an existing, DC-powered distributed energy generation solution such as a solar cell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one aspect of the present invention, a removable insulator for heating a container includes a jacket made of bite-resistant material having thermal insulating and water-proof properties, wherein the jacket is tubular as it extends from an open first end to a second end; a plurality of heating elements attached to the jacket; a power source attached to the jacket; and a control circuitry configured to set and control power from the power source delivered to the heating elements.
In another aspect of the present invention, the removable insulator for heating a container includes a jacket made of jacket material having thermal insulating, water-proof, and bite-resistant properties, wherein the jacket is tubular as it extends from an open first end to a second end, wherein the jacket tapers inward as it extends to the second end; a plurality of heating elements attached to the jacket; a power source attached to the jacket; a control circuitry providing one or more thermal sensors and a thermostat configured to set and control power from the power source delivered to the heating elements; an electrical quick connection interconnecting the power source and the control circuitry; a plurality of first removable fasteners attached along an inward-facing periphery of the jacket and adjacent to the first opening; and a plurality of second removable fasteners attached along an outward-facing periphery of the container so as to align with the plurality of first removable fasteners respectively, wherein the first and second removable fasteners cooperatively engage.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a removably attachable insulator having a jacket adapted to slide over a container for keeping the contents of the container at or near a predetermined temperature. The jacket may include heating elements attached thereto for heating the container. A control circuitry is also integrated with the jacket, the control circuitry providing a thermostat adapted to set and control the temperature through operatively associating with the heating elements. The jacket and container may become removably attached through the use of detachable fasteners integrated with the container and or the jacket.
Referring to
The jacket 14 may be layered so as to embed or house a plurality a heating element 24 therein. In certain embodiments, the heating elements may be equidistantly spaced apart along a circumference of the jacket 14, such as at 120 degrees. Heating elements 24 may also be disposed along the second end 54 as well.
Also embedded in or attached to the jacket 14 may be a control circuitry 26 interconnecting the heating elements 24 and a power source, as illustrated in
Referring to
A method of using the present invention may include the following. The removable insulator 10 disclosed above may be provided. A user may slide the container 12 through the first opening 46 until the cooperating hook and loop portions 18a and 18b mate. Then the user may connect the power source to the electrical quick connection 16 after setting the predetermined threshold temperature(s) by setting the thermostat 22. The user may then fill the container 12 with the fluid, most likely water in the context of animal husbandry, and then not have to worry about the animal's water freezing due to cold temperature as the insulator keeps the temperature of the container 12 over 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A removable insulator for heating a container, comprising:
- a jacket made of jacket material having thermal insulating, water-proof, and bite-resistant properties, wherein the jacket is tubular and tapers inward as it extends from an open first end to a second end;
- a plurality of heating elements attached to the jacket;
- a power source attached to the jacket;
- a control circuitry providing one or more thermal sensors and a thermostat configured to set and control power from the power source delivered to the heating elements;
- an electrical quick connection interconnecting the power source and the control circuitry;
- a plurality of first removable fasteners attached along an inward-facing periphery of the jacket and adjacent to the first opening;
- and a plurality of second removable fasteners attached along an outward-facing periphery of the container so as to align with the plurality of first removable fasteners respectively, wherein the first and second removable fasteners cooperatively engage; each first and second removable fastener being a hook and loop fastener, respectively.
20030019654 | January 30, 2003 | Merritt |
20040139860 | July 22, 2004 | Hamm |
20190168946 | June 6, 2019 | Walsh |
Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 9, 2018
Date of Patent: Mar 31, 2020
Patent Publication Number: 20190276220
Assignee: (Blaine, TN)
Inventor: Robert William Brady, Jr. (Blaine, TN)
Primary Examiner: Thien S Tran
Application Number: 15/916,430
International Classification: B65D 81/38 (20060101); B65D 25/34 (20060101); A01K 7/02 (20060101); F24H 1/00 (20060101);